Jaguars finish 10th in loaded field at Augusta Haskins Invitational
By Rodrigo Burgos-Avila | Sports writer
The Jaguar men’s golf team wrapped up a competitive weekend at Forest Hills Golf Club with a 10th-place finish while hosting some of the top college golf programs in the country at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational.
With teams like Oklahoma State, Texas, Illinois and North Carolina in the field, Augusta held its own and finished 10th out of 15 teams. The Cowboys and the Longhorns shared the team title, while David Ford of UNC-CH was the medalist at 12-under-par 204.
AU’s Bo Blanchard II led the way for his team with a strong finish on Sunday, April 6, firing a 2-under-par 70 to end the tournament at 1 over par and in a tie for 25th.
Blanchard, the junior from Columbus, rolled in six birdies during the final round—three on the front and three on the back nine—to post the low round of the day for Augusta at the 7,086-yard Forest Hills layout.
AU’s Pieter Rossouw shot even par in the final round to close out the weekend at 3 over par. He opened with two birdies in his first six holes and finished solid with four pars and a birdie down the stretch. Stefan Jacobs also finished at 3 over par for the tournament after posting rounds of 71, 72 and 76.
Dean Wilken and Chapman Barnett rounded out the Augusta team lineup. Wilken shot 78 on Sunday, while Barnett finished with a 79.
Mason Fundingsland and Behn Heyns competed as individuals. Fundingsland shot 73 in the final round, and Heyns turned in a 71 that featured three birdies over his last six holes.
Oklahoma State and Texas shared the team title at 20-under. North Carolina’s David Ford claimed the individual win after a playoff and secured a spot in the 3M Open on the PGA Tour later this year.
In the individual competition, Ford, a senior at UNC-CH, birdied the first playoff hole to beat Illinois' Max Herendeen. Ford is a leading candidate to win the Haskins Award as the top men’s collegiate golfer for the current season.
The Jaguars return to action April 14–15 at the Ford Collegiate in Richmond Hill as they continue building toward the postseason and defense of the Southland Conference title.
Contact Rodrigo Burgos-Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.
Bo Blanchard II shows his form with an iron during the final round of the Hasksins Award Invitational at Forest Hills. Blanchard finished in 25th place in the individual race and led AU to a 10th-place finish in the team competition. At the top of the page, Dan Wilken prepares to hit a tee shot. (photos by Nayla Reese/the Bell Ringer)
